When Dream Event Producer Keiichi Sasahara addressed the media following Dream.13, the first thing he talked about was his promotion's partnership with Strikeforce, which he said would be a major storyline in MMA in 2010.
"Watching this event, there was one thing that really stood out and that was the partnership with Strikeforce," Sasahara said. "Over the next year we will have many amazing Strikeforce fighters coming to Dream. We will continue to have these Dream vs. Strikeforce fights."
Sasahara specifically noted the possibility of Dream champions fighting Strikeforce champions. That already happened at Strikeforce: Miami, when Nick Diaz won the Strikeforce welterweight belt by defeating Marius Zaromskis, and it will happen on April 17 when Dream lightweight champ Shinya Aoki takes on Strikeforce lightweight champ Gilbert Melendez.
Strikeforce light heavyweight champion Gegard Mousasi will also compete for the Dream title in the Dream light heavyweight Grand Prix, and Strikeforce heavyweight champion Alistair Overeem fights for Dream more often than he fights for Strikeforce. Sasahara said he hopes to see Overeem fight Josh Barnett, and that the winner of that fight would take on Fedor Emelianenko.
"Of course, belts will be involved so you can expect this year to be about Strikeforce vs. Dream and also titles on the line," Sasahara said. "Watching tonight's fights, I think we have a taste of what this year will be like."
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